Conveyer slat



Febf 17, 1942. o, Q CURRIE 2,273,627

GONVEYER SLAT Filed Nov. s, 1939 4Zj'z'urs EQ CUFFIE Patented Feb. 17, 1942 coNvEYER sLA'r Otis C'. Currie, Jackson, Mich., assignor to Reynolds Spring Company, Jackson, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application November 3, 1939, Serial No. 302,631

2 Claims.

This invention relates to conveyer slats and more particularly to conveyer slats of composite sheet metal and fiber construction of the characte'r disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 259,933, filed March 6, 1939.

Conveyer slats are attached transversely to the canvas or other flexible belts employed in conveyers for engaging with the material carried on the belt to insure its conveyance. Such constructions are frequently used in harvesting machines; for instance for conveying grain. Conveyer slats are frequently made of wood because of the ease with which they may be nailed or stapled to the flexibleconveyer belt. However, Wood constructions have been found to be unsatisfactory because of their inability to with. stand wear and hard usage. Metal constructions have been tried and found unsatisfactory because of the difficulty in cheaply attaching the central portions thereof to the belting. My aforementioned application discloses one form of improved conveyer slat comprising a fibrous core having a sheet metal sheathing rolled therearound, the sheet metal sheathingyhowever, be-

ing arranged to exposel portions-of the fibrousv material for the purpose of receiving fastening members such as tacks, staples or the like.

The present invention comprises a'n improvement over the aforementioned composite sheet metal and fibrous conveyer slat construction, the present invention comprising the specific shape of the conveyer slat and the manner of attaching the flexible belt to the slat. The construction is particularly adapted to permit the stitching of the belt to the Slat by wire stitching members projecting through the metal sheath-` ing. 'I'he shape of the slat is such that when the belt lis in inverted and inactive position and the normally upper edge of the slat is sliding along a supporting part of the structure associated with the conveyer, the exposed portions of the elements attaching the slat to the flexible belt are protected.

An object of the invention is to provide a composite sheet metal and ber conveyer slat adapted to have a flexible conveyer belt stitched thereto Without' danger of cutting the belt by the stitching.

Another object of the invention is to provide a conveyer slat of L-shape cross-section, the Vertical leg of the L serving as a protector for the exposed portions of the members attaching the slat to the conveyer belt.

. Still another object is to provide a conveyer slat of uniform configuration throughout its These and other objects will beapparent fromv the following specification when taken with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a perspective view showing a portion of a conveyer belt having a conveyer slat according to the present invention attached thereto,

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through a conveyer belt and a portion of a slat according to the present invention attached thereto, taken partially on the line II-II of Fig. 3,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a section of a flexible conveyer lbelt having a conveyer slat according to the present invention attached thereto,

Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a cross-section of a modified form of conveyer slat employing the principles of the present invention, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section similar to Fig. 4.

Referring particularly to the drawing, the reference character I indicates a flexible conv'eyer belt of canvas or some other flexible material. Extending laterally across the belt are a plurality of slats 2 (only one being shown in Fig. l), secured at their end portions to the belt I by rivets 3 of some suitable character. It will be understood, of course, that other equivalent fastening means may be employed. In practice the slats 2 are spaced substantially uniformly along the belt l. Each slat 2 comprises a strip of composite sheet metal and fibrous material in the form of a fibrous core 4 surrounded by a sheet metal sheathing 5 except for a longitudinal space 6 on the underside of the slats 2 exposing the fibrous material core 4. It is preferred that the fibrous material comprising the core 4 be of fibrous compressed paper or the like and that the sheathing 5 be of some rollable metal such as suitable grades of sheet metal, aluminum alloy or the like. It is preferred that the sheathing 5 be rolled around the core 4 although this step is not a necessary part of the invention. It has been found that a desirable way to secure conveyer slats to conveyer belts is by metal wire stitching which passes completely through the slats. Such stitching, however, can not be employed to secure a conveyer slat consisting of a composite sheet metal and fibrous strip to a flexible belt when the sheet metal completely encloses the fibrous core, The reason for this is that the portion of the stitching compressing the conveyer belt against the slats cuts the belt. According to the present invention the use of stitching is made possible Without cutting the belt by providing the space 6 at the bottom of the slat as shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 4 so that the exible conveyer belt is clamped by the stitching against the fibrous core 4. Since the core 4 will yield slightly to the pressure exerted by the stitching wire during stitching, no cutting of the conveyer belt takes place. The stitching employed according to the present invention consists of wire staples 'I shown particularly in the drawing, having the upper edge thereof clinched over at 8.

As shown, the slat 2 is L-sha'ped in cross-sectional conguration having leg and foot portions and the space 6 is displaced sideways from beneath the leg portion. Thus when the staples 'I are stitched through the space 6 the clinched end portions 3 thereof rest on the top of theY foot portion of the slat. The leg portion of the slat projects suiiciently far above the foot portion not only to provide theV desired overall height for the slat, but also to project above the horizontal plane of the clinched portions '3 of the stitching staples 'I and the clinched portions' 9 of the rivets 3.

The projecting of the leg portion of they slat above the horizontal plane of the clinched portions 6 of the stitching staples I and the clinched portions S of the rivets 3 is particularly irnportant Where the conveyer belt isendless in form passing over two end rollers and the lower or inactive portion moves over a plate with which 8 and 9 would bear directly against the plate i i gouging the same and wearing down the clinched portions 8 and 9 to such an extent that the ability of the rivets 3 and the stitching staples 'I to hold the slat 2 to the belt I would. be lost. With the slat 2 of L-shaped cross-section asl shown,

the Weight of the entire belt assembly is uniformly distributed over the top surface of the leg portion of the slat 2 and the clinched portions 8 and 9, protected.

In Fig. 5 is shown another form of the invenf tion wherein the general cross-sectional shape of the slat I0 shown therein is similar to that of the slat 2 disclosed in Figs. l through il. However, the vertical leg portion II does not have a brous core as does the vertical leg portion of the slat 2, but is merely formed of an extension of the metal sheathing of the foot portion folded upon itself. It will be understood that in this form of the invention, as in the form disclosed in Figs. l through 4, the stitching staples project through the space I2 between the ends` of the sheet metal sheathing and arev clinched on the top of the foot portion of the slat, in identically the same manner as are the stitching staples 'I, clinched at 8 on the top of the foot portion of the slat 2.

In Fig. 6 is shown an enlarged section similar to Fig. 41 disclosing in detail the preferred structure of the slat 2 at the space 6. As shown the end portions I3 of the sheathing 5 are turned in slightly so that the bottom surface of the core 4 is spaced inwardly from a plane including the lowermost portions of the slat 2. Accordingly, when the staples 'I are projected through the belt I and the foot portion of the slat 2, the bottom portions of the. staples I terminate adjacent a plane' including the lowermost portions of the slat 2 and are thus shielded against wear. It is to be understood that this shielding action is the result not only of the inwardly turned ends I3 of the sheathing 6, but also due to the fact that the bottom portions of the staples 'I will slightly embed themselves in the. belt. I d'ue to its relatively soft nature. It is also to be understood that the lower heads of the rivets 3 will slightly embed themselves in the belt I' between the sheathing portions and.I will be shielded as shown general-ly in Fig.. 2.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire toI secure by Letters Patent and claim is:

l. In a flexible conveyer heit of. the character described having a plurality of transverse slats disposed in spaced relation along the same, a Slat comprising a composite sheet metal and fibrous strip, the sheet metal. being. disposed directly about the fiber in enveloping relation, said slat being substantially L.shape'd in cross-section and' having a leg portion and` a foot portion, saidv sheet metal at the bottom of the' foot portion exposing portions of the fibrous material, and fastening means passing through the belt' and through said exposed portions of: brous material, and through the sheet metal on the top of the foot portion, the belt being clamped' againstsaid exposed portions of fibrous material, said leg portion risingv above the level of the` top of the fastening means projecting through the top of the foot for protecting they same.

2. In a ilexiblev conveyer belt oi' the character described, having a. plurality of transverse slats disposed in spaced relation along the same, a slat comprising a sheet metal` member having a suitable ller, said member having at the bottom thereof open portions exposing portions of said ller, fastening means passing through the belt and said exposed portions of filler, the belt being clamped against said exposed portions of ller, and through the sheet metal on the top of said member, said member also having a portion rising above the level of the top of the fastening means projecting throughy the top of said meinber, for protecting the same.

OTIS C. CUR/RIE. 

